STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The Irish hockey team fell to the Penn State Nittany Lions 5-3 Friday night as an empty-net tally with 68 seconds left sealed Notre Dame’s fate on the road. Despite battling back from a three-goal first period deficit, the Irish could not find the equalizer late inside Pegula Ice Arena.
Penn State thought they scored early in the contest but the shot rang off the pipe behind Owen Say in the crease and play continued in a scoreless battle.
The Irish were called for the first infraction of the night after a hit behind the net was whistled for interference at 9:52 of the opening period. The best chance of the kill came as the Irish attacked the Nittany Lions end. Cole Knuble and Michael Mastrodomenico created an odd-man rush into the zone before being joined by Justin Janicke who fired a shot just high on the Penn State net as Notre Dame successfully completed the kill halfway through the frame.
A misplayed puck in the neutral zone resulted in a three-on-goalie chance for the Nittany Lions in which they would capitalize and take the 1-0 lead with 3:59 to play in the first period.
Just 13 seconds after the opening goal, a pair of penalties went against both sides and the teams skated four-on-four for the next two minutes. With the ice open during the penalties, Penn State would convert and take the 2-0 lead.
A late penalty against the Irish gave Penn State another chance on the powerplay with under a minute to play in the opening frame. The Nittany Lions took advantage of the man-advantage with 10.7 seconds left on the clock as a skater out front tipped the puck out of the air and fired a shot into the back of the net. The Irish challenged the play for goaltender interference after Say was tripped up in the crease but after a quick review the goal was confirmed and Penn State led 3-0 through the first 20 minutes of play.
The teams opened the second stanza with four-on-four hockey after whistles in the final seconds of the previous period saw representatives from both teams head to the box.
Carter Slaggert got the Irish on the board at 5:19 of the second period to cut the deficit to two goals midway through the frame.
The Irish further cut into the Nittany Lions’ lead when a shot from Brennan Ali beat Arsenii Sergeev in the Penn State net to make it a 3-2 game nearly halfway through the contest.
Both teams managed to kill off shortened infractions after a pair of penalties off set each other in the fading minutes of the second period as the Irish continued to search for the equalizer late in the frame.
The Irish powerplay unit returned to the ice with 16.6 seconds left in the second period after a crosscheck in front of the net. However it was the Nittany Lions that would score in the final seconds of the period after a shorthanded breakaway with 3.1 seconds left on the clock to send the Irish to the locker room trailing by two goals.
Blake Biondi drew the Irish back within one with his team-leading sixth powerplay goal of the season, just 53 seconds into the final period of regulation.
With under six minutes to play in the final period, Say made a sprawling save on the goal line to keep it a one-goal game after a turnover in the Irish end. The junior netminder made a series of big similar big saves moments later before the Irish could clear the puck.
Biondi nearly had his second of the night but his shot rang off the left post to keep the score stagnant as time wound down in the third.
The Irish were finally able to hold possession long enough for Say to get to the bench as the team opted for the extra skater in the final 90 seconds but Penn State would find the empty net as a clearing attempt trickled just over the goal line to make it a 5-3 final.
GOALS
- Carter Slaggert opened the scoring for the Irish Friday night after Grant Silianoff chipped a pass into the offensive end where Slaggert picked it up along the half-wall. Along the boards, Slaggert and Hunter Strand battled with a Nittany Lions defenseman where Slaggert came out with the puck before tucking a shot off the right pad of Sergeev in net for Penn State to get the Irish on the board.
- The Irish top line drew the visitors within one at 8:41 of the second period when Brennan Ali’s shot from the slot beat the Nittany Lions’ netminder glove side. Jimmy Jurcev, who found Ali at center ice, was credited with the primary assist while Ian Murphy earned the second helper.
- Notre Dame’s top powerplay unit capitalized on the man-advantage less than a minute into the third period to draw within one. Owen Say settled the puck behind the Irish net where he left it for Paul Fischer and Justin Janicke to formulate the rush. Janicke wrapped around the Penn State net before centering a pass to Blake Biondi who buried his team-best sixth goal on the man-advantage of the season to make it a 4-3 contest.
KEY STATS
- With his first shift of the night Friday in State College, graduate forward Grant Silianoff skated in his 150th career game with the Irish.
- The Irish fought back in the latter two periods Friday night after trailing by three through the first 20 minutes. Goals Friday came from Carter Slaggert, Brennan Ali and Blake Biondi.
- Biondi’s third period tally came on the powerplay less than a minute into the frame. The goal was his team-leading sixth on the man-advantage this season and brings his total to 11 goals in his grad season, tied for a team-best.
UP NEXT
The two teams close out the season series with a 5pm push drop Saturday night inside Pegula Ice Arena. The game will stream on B1G+.